Jake England, one of two men who took part in a shooting spree earlier this month, insists that he isn't racist. In fact — wait for it — some of his best friends are black.

England's lawyer Clark Brewster played a tape of an interview his team conducted with England, during which the accused says, "I always got along with everybody. It didn't matter what color he was."

Of course, that doesn't explain the Facebook post that led many to conclude the Tulsa shootings were "revenge" against the black community England blamed for the deaths of his father and girlfriend. On Facebook, England described his father's death as being "at the hands of a fucking nigger." But England says he was just upset: it's not like a racial slur has anything to do with racism, right?

Poking further holes in England's flimsy "I'm not a racist" story are the tips police received before England and his partner Alvin Watts were arrested.

Three Crime Stoppers tips helped lead authorities to the men, according to the affidavit. In the first, made last Saturday, a caller described England as "a racist (who) hates black males" and said he had "bragged about other shootings."

Another caller said England "made several comments about killing black people." All of the victims in the Tulsa shooting were black.

Both England and Watts have been charged with "malicious harassment," which is the Oklahoma equivalent of a hate crime charge. While this charge is only considered a misdemeanor — with a maximum penalty of a year in prison and a $1000 fine — the men have also been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and two counts of shooting with intent to kill. England and Watts have already confessed to the crime.

[Image via AP]